Shaq & Hill want Orlando???

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Not right now. Shaq has two seasons on his deal, won't walk away from $20 million per, may play beyond that contrary to previous reports that 2009-10 is definitely his last season, and Hill is in a contract year and interested in returning. He may not be done for a while either.

But the Suns teammates are serious about this. At some point, probably soon after they retire, O'Neal and Hill, former Magic players who still make their permanent homes in a mega-money Orlando enclave, will talk with executives to see if the team is available.

How serious?

They have already talked about it together, a lot. They have already made their feelings known to CEO and president Bob Vander Weide, the son-in-law of owner Rich DeVos. They have, both report independently, already lined up additional investors.

If DeVos is open to discussing a sale, Hill and O'Neal want to be first in line. If not, the partnership will consider other teams. There's no way to know which way it will go, not when we're probably talking the summer of 2010 at the earliest and no one can say for certain where the economy will be headed in two months. Asking prices will change. The financial needs of owners with major investments in non-basketball entities will change.

O'Neal and Hill were always friendly -- when Hill was living through one of many injury setbacks with the Magic, Shaq was a Laker and handed over keys to the gym at his house so Hill could use it anytime -- and have grown closer since becoming teammates in Phoenix last season. They live a few minutes apart in Orlando. Vander Weide is in the same community.

I don't know about Shaq, but I think Hill could make a "passable" GM.

It's a while away but that could be an interesting situation if it comes to fruition. We've seen a fair few former star players invest in teams and take front office positions once their playing days are over but I don't think there's been many that have teamed up in the way that Shaq and Hill appear to be planning, leaving you to wonder who would be calling the shots.

Shaq? As a GM? You are f***ing kidding me.

Grant Hill maybe... but Shaq... i would say no

In all fairness, there's no guarantee that Hill would make a good GM either. Despite their friendship, you have to wonder if there'd be a bit of a power struggle if they are successful in following through on this plan.

i wonder, if this really happens, would shaq feel "the urge" like MJ did?

Probably not. If Shaq plays as long as he says he's going to, he'll surely have put his body through enough by that point and feel satisfied that he's walking away from the game when he's ready to call it a day.